British short-track skater Elise Christie doubtful for 1,000M after injuring ankle in crash

British short-track speedskater Elise Christie took a nasty fall in Saturday’s 1,500-meter semifinal that knocked her out of medal contention and sent her sliding across the ice and into the board.

It was her second crash of the PyeongChang Games after being clipped by another skater in the 500-meter final. This time she was taken off the ice on a stretcher and to a hospital.

A British Olympic official told reporters on Sunday that Christie did not suffer any broken bones, but has soft-tissue damage in her right ankle that may keep her from competing in Tuesday’s 1,000-meter heats.

“She wants to make it but it might not be her decision at the end of the day,” Britain’s Mike Hay said. “You’ve got to be able to get the skate on your foot. We’ll have to wait and see what the doctors say and take it from there.”

Elise Christie crashes during the 1500-meter semifinal on Saturday. (AP)

That sounds like a bad ankle sprain. If she’s so swollen she can’t put on a skate on Sunday, that’s doesn’t bode well for Tuesday.

Christie is unfortunately known for her misfortune at Olympic Games. A medal contender, she was disqualified three times in the 2014 Sochi Games. She was crashed out of the 500-meter final and 1,500-meter semifinal and now is in peril of missing the 1,000-meter competition in PyeongChang.

Despite all of that, Hay believes that if she is physically able to go on Tuesday, the mental side won’t be an issue.

“If she’s able to skate she will,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a problem for her mentally.”

UPDATE:

Christie is already on the exercise bike trying to get her ankle ready for Tuesday.